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Old 07-26-2021, 10:13 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by rarebear.nm View Post
Last time I looked the Transit and Sprinter have almost the same weight limits. That was a one reason for our decision to go with the E450 chassis. Service centers and costs were the major reasons against the Sprinter.
One concept that interests me is the Thor Axis and Vegas, which are Class A style on a E-450 chassis. They're smaller in nearly every dimension than a typical Class A, with the E-450 weight limits. The big drawback seems to be that Thor doesn't appear to have a very good reputation for build quality, but I do like the concept. We love our current Dolphin Class A, but I'm not sure I'll want to continue driving something that big ten years from now.
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Old 07-26-2021, 01:50 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by CamJam1 View Post
One concept that interests me is the Thor Axis and Vegas, which are Class A style on a E-450 chassis. They're smaller in nearly every dimension than a typical Class A, with the E-450 weight limits. The big drawback seems to be that Thor doesn't appear to have a very good reputation for build quality, but I do like the concept. We love our current Dolphin Class A, but I'm not sure I'll want to continue driving something that big ten years from now.
Love my Vegas and it’s E450 chassis.

At the time of my new Vegas purchase, I could have purchased 2 Vegas RVs for the price of 1 new Mercedes class B+ of same length ($60k vs $120k).

Regarding Thor build quality…you get what you pay for (so your post does have some merit).
Many of the poor quality fixes needed on my Vegas during year 1, I was able to DIY myself. That is, if I had not the expertise to fix the coach it would have sat in a dealer’s lot for 3-6 months.

One reason why many RV owners are dissatisfied with quality, in general, is because they go into it thinking it’s like a car.
(Many threads have been written on this issue)

Regarding the OP…in my opinion class B’s, Ford or Mercedes, have less “house” issues because they use the original van steel shell and there’s less add-on features to rattle & break.
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Old 07-27-2021, 06:37 AM   #17
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One consideration I haven't seen mentioned is the generator

A bit off topic, perhaps, but since you mention it -



Wanting a 2nd alternator is one of the reasons I went with a Sprinter van and after market conversion. At least when I was looking, I couldn't find any manufactured Class B's with the van configuration I wanted (4WD / 2nd alternator being the big things) that weren't also top-end finishes that struck me as very expensive and not things I'd get value from.


If I need 120V and the battery is low, I idle the engine for it. I can get about 15A @ 120V out of it for an hour or so before the inverter needs to cool off. The alternator itself will also shut down if it gets too hot, and on a hot day with the van sitting still this can happen. The alternator turns back on after it drops back to it safe operating temperature, but this kind of thermal duty cycling with the inverter and alternator approach is not something you have to deal with if you have a generator, afaik.


If I had it to do all over again, I'd still go with the 2nd alternator. I really like have 120V available and not needing to carry a generator in a Class B.
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Old 07-27-2021, 06:59 AM   #18
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If I had it to do all over again, I'd still go with the 2nd alternator. I really like have 120V available and not needing to carry a generator in a Class B.
I agree completely. My van has the second alternator, and a 600Ah LiFePO4 battery under the jack knife couch. It'll run the roof air for hours, and all night if it can cycle, though I normally only do that when at a rest stop or whatever in hot weather. But we also use the microwave, coffee machine, computer chargers, etc. off the battery with the alternator (plus solar) keeping things up. I've never had to run the engine to charge the battery, which also has the high-idle option from M-B. The alternator puts out over 150A at idle.

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I don't have a generator at all, and didn't want one, so that wasn't a concern of course.
But if I was going to have a generator in a Class B, it would be gasoline powered in a Transit, or diesel powered in a Sprinter, though I've never seen that option in Sprinter units. So that would put me in a Transit I suppose.
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Old 08-01-2021, 06:16 PM   #19
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Just saw this:

https://www.rvtravel.com/sprinter-woes-sideline-rvers/

Old news to some, I'm sure.
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Old 08-01-2021, 06:48 PM   #20
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Just saw this:

https://www.rvtravel.com/sprinter-woes-sideline-rvers/

Old news to some, I'm sure.
Just that one link tells me what to not consider purchasing. For the OP, I would also consider a small E350 Class C as another option. ~CA
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Old 08-11-2021, 12:05 AM   #21
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My shop has worked on all makes and models. And when it got time to buy our first RV, we went domestic....Ford. I did not want to be in some rural parts of the country with a mechanical problem and have no close support. But every little town in this country has either a Ford dealership or there is an independent shop who knows how to work on a Ford E350 or E450 drivetrain. You won't find that with a Sprinter. And finding parts for a repair? Good luck with a Sprinter repair! While the Sprinter RV's we've seen are very attractive and nicely appointed, they just are not as realible as domestic brands.
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Old 10-04-2021, 08:07 AM   #22
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I doubt that you will ever wear out a Transit chassis.
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Old 10-04-2021, 08:56 AM   #23
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Service would be the deciding factor for me. Ford, just about any town with a mechanic. Sprinter, only Mercedes dealers and not all of them. It may be a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point.
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Old 10-04-2021, 10:26 AM   #24
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It amazes me how wedded to dealer service people can be. I only go to MB for recalls and for the fuel filter because there are 4 different configurations. Everything else is handled by the Master Mechanic at my local garage. The thought of someone having their Sprinter oil changed gave me a chuckle. As for the settlement in the above link, at least I’ll get a check for over 3 grand when I get the work performed.
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